Germany

This was not how Edward Snowden imagined the effects of his disclosures playing out. With this law, the German government is legitimising years of illegal surveillance by the federal intelligence services (Bundesnachrichtendienst, BND). And the Bundestag, with its eyes open, is passing a law that is clearly unconstitutional.

The draft of the Federal Government\'s Climate Protection Plan 2050 leaves no room for balance. Instead of concentrating on the achievable, unrealistic goals are formulated. Instead of competition for the most efficient solutions, you will find lovingly detailed planned economies and high costs.

How much of Austria is hidden in Germany? The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is still far behind in approval ratings as is the FPÖ in Austria but its ideology is no less reactionary than that of the Freedom Party and thus, unfortunately, similarly seductive.

Centre for Economic and Market Analyses recently published a study dealing with circular economy. The text “The Efficiency of the Waste Sorting System in the Czech Republic – International comparison” deals with collective system of extended producers’ responsibility for packaging waste.

Genscher\'s work is determined by its liberal, value-oriented attitude, which runs like a thread through his time in office: freedom, security and democratic self-determination were the values in which he engaged as a liberal politician and with which he identified himself as a human being.

The Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) meets on the upcoming Thursday. Despite explicit criticism especially from Germany, no one should expect higher interest rates in the medium term.

Whether we like it or not, getting closer to Budapest means not only drifting away from Berlin and Brussels, but also from Washington. The political position of Poland in the world states its power in Europe. But a strong position in Europe shouldn’t be built in a way that the Law and Justice does it. In such way, you can only lose this position.

The sphere of entitlement and privileges of authorities and the sphere of rights and freedoms of citizens form a relationship which is characterised by inevitable and perpetual tensions. Every political system – may it be liberalism or democracy – works the same way.

Luckily, the world community in Paris was not as unrealistic as the German Federal Government. The climate treaty expressly allows for the equalization and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Now it\'s up to politicians to align national and international ambitions with the realism of social development and actual climate dynamics.

In the last five years, Piraeus Bank has lost 97% of its value and Eurobank (indeed, an apt name) an astounding 99.8% of the value. Their market value is currently five times lower that the market value of the Uber company. However, the Stock Exchange has not reached the historic low of the year 2012.